After the Orioles' 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night, manager Buck Showalter evoked former Orioles skipper Earl Weaver, who was alwas a fan of the three-run homer. “I was thinking Earl would be real happy about the scenario tonight,” Showalter said. “Good pitching, good defense and a guy hits a three-run homer. I was hoping it would hold up. I'd like to have another one.” While rookie right-hander Miguel Gonzalez stole the spotlight with seven innings of one-run, three-hit ball, outfielder Steve Pearce provided all the Orioles' offense, hitting a three-run homer off left-handerC.J.

When Orioles first baseman Steve Pearce was sidelined for five games last week, his absence left a big hole in the lineup. Nobody realized it more than manager Buck Showalter. "He's in a little bit different stage of his career where people are counting on him, and he's kind of become a guy that we're leaning on," Showalter said. "That's what I've tried to relay to him, that you're a valuable part of this club. " Pearce, who was released by the Orioles earlier this season - and for the first six years of his career was the definition of a replacement player - has been one of several unlikely contributors for a team that won the American League East crown and is preparing to start the postseason on Thursday at Camden Yards.

At 3 p.m. Wednesday, Steve Pearce was in Frederick preparing to take batting practice for his third rehabilitation game with the High-A Keys. By 7 p.m., Pearce was at Camden Yards, batting ninth as the Orioles' designated hitter in an 11-0 loss to the Houston Astros. Pearce was a rare offensive bright spot for the Orioles in Wednesday's blowout defeat, going 2-for-3 with a strikeout in his first major league action since June 19. “I was going about a million miles per hour,” Pearce said.

NEW YORK -- Orioles first baseman-outfielder Steve Pearce said he expects to return to the starting lineup by Wednesday afternoon against the Yankees. Pearce was scratched from the starting lineup before Saturday's game against the Boston Red Sox with a sore right wrist. He had X-rays that night - which were negative - and also received a cortisone injection. Pearce wore a brace on his right wrist before Monday's game, but he said the wrist is feeling much better and the effects of the injection are taking place.

The Orioles have outrighted outfielder Steve Pearce to Triple-A Norfolk, the team announced today. Pearce spent two separate stints with the Orioles last season, hitting .254/.321/.437 in 28 games with the big league club. He also spent time with the Houston Astros and New York Yankees last season. The Orioles signed Pearce to a major-league contract just before last month's deadline to tender contracts to arbitration eligible players. So the move could be an indicator that the Orioles need Pearce's 40-man roster spot to make an upcoming move.

First baseman-outfielder Steve Pearce was claimed on unconditional release waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday, according to an industry source, but he rejected the claim, became a free agent and re-signed with the Orioles. Pearce now will re-join the club after being designated for assignment last Tuesday and put on release waivers Sunday. He could play for the Orioles on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Camden Yards, if rain doesn't force a postponement for a second straight day. It has been a whirlwind week for Pearce, but it had to be. The Orioles needed to make the move with Pearce quickly, because they were utilizing a rule that allowed them to bypass a 30-day waiting period to re-sign a released player.

TORONTO -- The Orioles recalled left-hander T.J. McFarland from Triple-A Norfolk before Tuesday's game and designated outfielder Steve Pearce for assignment. McFarland, who was scheduled to start for Norfolk on Tuesday, will add depth to a bullpen depleted from pitching 7 1/3 innings over the past two games in Boston. Three relievers - left-handers Zach Britton and Brian Matusz, and right-hander Darren O'Day - worked back-to-back days. McFarland and right-hander Josh Stinson gave the Orioles two long-relief options Tuesday.

And outfielder Steve Pearce is back in Baltimore. With this season the way it has gone, did you expect anything less? Pearce, 29, was with the Orioles for about two months this year and had a couple big games. But he was waived at the end of July and claimed by the Houston Astros and then waived by the Astros and claimed by the New York Yankees, who actually had him in their minors earlier this year before selling him to the Orioles on June 2. The Yankees claimed him from the Astros on Aug. 27 and then waived him this week - and now he is back with the Orioles, who claimed him today.

SARASOTA, Fla. - In a battle that came down to the final day of spring training games and was compared by one of the candidates to "two heavyweights battling against each other," Steve Pearce beat Conor Jackson for the final spot on the Orioles' 25-man Opening Day roster. Pearce, a first baseman-outfielder who changed organizations five times last season, was told he made the team before the Orioles' 7-1 win over the New York Mets in their Grapefruit League finale. "It was tough," Pearce said.

First baseman Steve Pearce and right fielder Nick Markakis weren't in Sunday's lineup, but Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he would expect both to play in the upcoming series against the New York Yankees. Pearce is expected to be out two to three games with wrist soreness that forced him to be scratched from Saturday's game. Markakis took batting practice Sunday and still is experiencing soreness from a fastball Tuesday that severely bruised the back of his right shoulder. X-rays on both players were negative.

As Orioles rookie first baseman Christian Walker strove this season to develop as a power hitter and solidify his future at first base, a position where power is paramount, he never strayed from the hitting approach that had earned him acclaim. Hitters desperate for power can end up getting pull-happy and sacrifice the bat-to-ball skills that had carried them so far, and Walker, in search of over-the-fence power, continued to focus his approach on hitting up the middle of the field.

Orioles first baseman Steve Pearce, who was scratched from the lineup before a 7-2 win Saturday night over the Boston Red Sox with soreness in his right wrist, underwent an X-ray and received a cortisone shot, manager Buck Showalter said. Pearce, who is batting .297 with 20 home runs and 48 RBIs in 98 games this year, said his removal from the lineup was precautionary and that he expects to need “just a couple of days to let it calm down.” The Orioles "took an X-ray just to make sure there was nothing structurally wrong, and felt good about that,” Showalter said.

Steve Pearce got the message. The Orioles already have clinched the American League East. He was celebrating Tuesday night. But, to paraphrase what the kids like to say these days at Camden Yards, “Pearce Won't Stop.” Pearce hit his 19th and 20th home runs Wednesday to help the Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-1, at Camden Yards. He's batting .424 with four homers, four doubles and 11 RBIs in his past 10 games. “It's just great to contribute on this team and win ballgames,” Pearce said.

First baseman Christian Walker was called up to a division-winning team in September to help give some players a break in the final 10 days of the season. Walker, 23, immediately was inserted into the Orioles' lineup Wednesday night. He struck out in his first at-bat and hit a flyout in his second. But in his third trip to the plate, in the seventh inning against Toronto Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ, Walker laced a double down the left-field line for his first major league hit. “It was exciting, you know.

Three weeks into this season, Steve Pearce walked out of the Orioles manager Buck Showalter's office in Toronto, sat down and just stared into his locker. It was an all-too-familiar feeling for Pearce, who had just been told he was being designated for assignment. The Orioles had an early season roster crunch and needed to add bullpen reinforcements. Pearce, who had just seven at-bats at the time, was the odd man out. Pearce's hope was that he'd clear waivers, be outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk - where he could receive regular playing time - and eventually rejoin the major league club.

The Orioles are looking to take the rubber match of this three-game series against the Rays at Tropicana Field. The teams are tied for first place in the AL East with identical 30-23 records. Newcomer Steve Pearce, who arrived in Tampa Bay around 8 p.m. yesterday, will immediately jump into the lineup, starting in right field and hitting eighth. Pearce seems to know a few guys in the clubhouse. He played with Ronny Paulino in Pittsburgh and attended South Carolina with Steve Tolleson.

One day after the rain postponed the game between the Orioles and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, the two teams are scheduled to meet at Camden Yards tonight. Same pitchers, slightly different lineup now that the designated hitter is back. Steve Pearce returns to the lineup for the Orioles, batting second and playing left field. Nelson Cruz returns to the designated hitter spot. He is batting fourth. For the Nationals, Ryan Zimmerman will serve as the designated hitter.

The sweet smell of celebration -- an odorous combination of champagne and beer -- still lingered inside the home clubhouse of Camden Yards one day after the Orioles wrapped up the American League East title. Backed by a two-homer game from Steve Pearce, there was no hangover Wednesday night as the Orioles swept the second-place Toronto Blue Jays with a 6-1 victory in front of an announced 37,537 giving the club its 10th win in the last 11 games. “That's what we do,” Pearce said of returning strong the day after clinching the division.

The Orioles didn't initially expect to add one of their top position player prospects, first baseman Christian Walker, to their expanded roster this month. But with American League East wrapped up -- and 11 games remaining in the regular season -- the Orioles are expected to purchase Walker's contract from Triple-A Norfolk, according to a club source. Walker has been working out in Sarasota, Fla., as part of a taxi squad the Orioles could pluck from in case they needed an extra player.